Budget chief: 'Agencies are instructed to continue their normal operations'

When the clock struck 12:01 am ET on Saturday morning, only one chamber of Congress had officially approved a short term measure to keep the government running.

The House had just reconvened to briefly debate a temporary six-day measure that would officially avert a government shutdown, but had not yet voted. (The Senate earlier approved the stopgap bill by voice vote. )

So was the government technically shut down for a few minutes before the House passed the bill and the president signed it?

Nope, per the Office of Management and Budget, which issued this guidance via email at 12:01 am ET.

"We expect the House to take up the CR shortly and for the President to sign this CR no later than tomorrow," wrote Obama budget director Jack Lew wrote in a memorandum. "As a result, at this time agencies are instructed to continue their normal operations."